𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒 [pjo]

eighteen; the rocky fall

━━━the rocky fall

.・゜゜・───・゜゜・．

Callahan jerked awake to a blaring horn piercing her eardrums. She yelped, flailing off the bed to land hands and knees on the harsh, cold wood. Behind her, Annie swore.

"Callahan?" Her voice was thick and groggy, and she pushed up on her elbows to squint down at Cal's form.

"Goodmorning, Annie." She flopped down onto the harsh wood to stare up at the swinging lamp, "we should go see what that horn was."

Annie hummed, heaving herself off the bed and offering a hand to Cal. She was yanked up, thudding softly into Annie and smiling lightly at her warmth. Annie laughed, arms wrapping around her to hug her into her form,

"you okay? you snuck in here in the middle of the night."

Cal simply hummed and nodded, shuffling around with Annie as the two made their way to the door and the top deck.

Everyone was there, wearing a mismatched mess of hastily put-on clothing, and blinking blearily at whatever was making the noise. The cruise ship was white and full to the brim of smiling folks, waving at them with their cameras out. Callahan wondered what they saw.

She leaned her chin down on Annie's shoulder, puffing out to move a strand out of her way. The ship's horn blew again, and she groaned.

Coach Hedge shoved his fingers into his ears, "Do they have to be so loud?"

"They're just saying hi," Frank responded, a small smile dancing at the corners of his lips.

Coach Hedge turned away and grumbled, "what?"

The ship left, people smiling and waving goodbye, and Callahan pulled away from Annie to turn her around, wrapping an arm around her waist. Annie leaned her head on Cal's shoulder with a small smile, and Percy blinked a couple of times before making his way over to the two of them.

"Good morning?"

Callahan hummed and nodded, snuggling deeper into Annie's embrace. Percy smiled at the two of them as he moved to wrap a hand around Cal's waist, leaving the three connected by arms around waists. Percy's hand reached out to intertwine their fingers, rubbing a soft pattern along Cal's thumb.

Hazel rubbed her eyes, blinking widely before "Where--oh wow."

Callahan agreed. The sea-side cliff shone in the brilliant morning light, ridges of white stone covered in soft greens. One side was sheer, a complete drop-off from the top of the hill, and the other was rolling fields of green that sloped down from the brilliant height.

"The Rock of Gibraltar," Annabeth said in awe. "At the tip of Spain. And over there—" She pointed south, to a more distant stretch of red and ochre hills. "That must be Africa. We're at the mouth of the Mediterranean."

Cal turned her head to press her lips against Annie's forehead, a simple gesture of the pure awe she felt at Annie's huge brains.

Percy muttered 'nerd' under his breath.

"so, what? we just sail in?" Piper asked, narrowed eyes glaring at the cliffs in front of them.